There's a First Time for Everything
by grangergirl121
Summary: "Wait!" "I don't have to." "Just listen, for once, please!" "And why should I?" "There's a first time for everything, isn't there?" Follow Lily Potter as she navigates through her seventh year, following in the footsteps of Grandmother Evans.
1. Chapter 1

"Wait!"

"I don't have to."

"Just listen, for once, please!"  
"And why should I?"

"There's a first time for everything, isn't there?"

Lily Potter turned around slowly. There was Asher, standing in the snow, his cheeks red from the cold. A light dusting of snow was dispersed over his chestnut hair. His hands were in the pockets of his Puddlemere United sweatshirt.

"Well? Are you going to say something, or what?" Lily said, crossing her arms. Asher grinned, his bright blue eyes sparkling.

"Convinced you to listen?" Asher smirked. When he saw the look on Lily's face, he carried on. "Alright, sorry. But Lily, you have to understand! I didn't mean for Hugo to get all upset about it! I didn't do anything wrong!" Lily huffed, blowing a piece of dark red hair out of her face.

"Of course you didn't try to, Asher, you never try to. But it always ends up happening that way, doesn't it?" She said rigidly.

"What do you mean, Lily? It was just a harmless prank!" The light behind Asher's eyes dimmed.

"A harmless prank? A _harmless prank!_ About as harmless as You-Know-Who was, definitely." Lily said incredulously.

"Lil," he began.

"Asher, drop it. You _know_ Hugo's been my friend since forever. I can't just throw that away because you're an idiot." Lily said bitterly and trudged back to the castle. She could hear Asher following her. "Go away, Asher." She said, without turning around.

"No. Not until you explain what's really bothering you." He said firmly.

"Isn't that what I just did?" Lily plowed through the deep, thick snow faster. Asher grabbed her arm. Lily stopped, breathing in and out deeply. She turned around and realized that her hazel eyes were staring straight into Asher's blue ones. They stayed like this until a group of giggling third-years ran past them.

"Lily. You're my best friend. I know when something's up. Spill." Asher said, his hands on my shoulders. Lily looked to the side.

"To tell the truth, Asher, I'm fed up with your silly little pranks. You think it's all _so _hilarious, but it's not. It's _annoying_. What makes you think that you can go around hexing people for fun? You're just a regular person like the rest of us, no matter what you think. Sure, you play Quidditch, and sure, you may be funny _when you're not hexing people_, but that doesn't make you miraculous. And ever since you've been made Quidditch Captain and Head Boy, you've been even worse! Remember the first time we met, on the Hogwarts Express? Where you were actually human and nice? Well I wish that boy would turn up because he's been missing for seven years!" Lily said furiously. With that, she whipped around and stomped back to the castle. Asher continued to stare up at her in shock, his face grim and hands dangling loosely at his sides.


	2. Chapter 2

"I knew it!" exclaimed Sydney, looking at Lily intently. "You and Asher are fighting!"

"Urgh, Syd, you say it like's it's temporary." Lily rolled over on the long gold couch in the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, isn't it?" Syd said. "You two are _made_ for each other!"

"Merlin's pants, ew, Syd! Even if we didn't hate each other that would be gross!" Lily pretended to retch.

"Come on, you know it! You would look amazing together." She glanced over at the fireplace, where Asher and his friends were sitting. "Aw, he looks distracted! Probably thinking about you."

"Syd, I swear to Merlin that you are deaf. _We. Hate. Each. Other."_

"I don't think so. You may hate him but that doesn't mean he hates you. In fact, quite the contrary, I'm sure he—"

"SYDNEY. STOP." Lily said forcefully. Sydney plopped down on the couch, looking dejected.

"Well, if you won't admit—" Lily glared at her—"alright, if you won't _listen_, then maybe you can tell me why you fought." Syd looked at Lily hopefully.

"Well, he was being himself. And then, right in Hogsmeade, he started making fun of Hugo. Next thing you know, he's hexing him and I'm yelling. _Then_, next thing you know, I'm leaving and he's following, trying to 'figure out why I'm mad.' How ignorant." Lily snorted. Syd gaped at Lily.

"You fought over _Hugo_? The little nerd?"

"Don't call him that!" Lily said automatically.

"Lily, I don't understand what you see in that twerp." Syd said, rolling her eyes.

"He's been my friend for seventeen years. That has to count for something, doesn't it?" Lily said defensively.

"No. You're just making up excuses." Syd said, glaring at Lily.

"Syd, I don't get why you and everyone else hates him." Lily complained.

"Face it, Lily, there's something weird about him. You know it. Lil, you can't act like you haven't seen him lurking around the Restricted Section in the library and acting all chummy with the Slytherins. There's something weird about that kid."

"He's my cousin." Lily said tersely. "And he's allowed to have any friends he wants. Sure, they may be a bit…_evil_, but at least he isn't all caught up in House rivalries!"

"Well, I'm sure if he were to put on the Sorting Hat right now, it would actually admit it made a mistake."

"Aw, come on, Syd. The Sorting Hat never makes mistakes and besides, being in Slytherin isn't terrible. My dad says one of the bravest people he knew was a Slytherin."

"Lily, you're hopeless." Syd threw up her arms in defeat. "Just go make up with Asher, won't you? He really misses you."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, the fact that he's walking over here right now might be a clue."

"What? Syd, we have to go, _now_." Lily tugged on Syd's arm.

"No way! I want to see what happens!" Syd protested. Lily peeked around and indeed, saw Asher heading their way.

"Syd, I swear on Merlin's grave, if you don't get up right now, I'm going to—" Lily stopped, holding her breath. But to her immense surprise, she saw Asher walk right past her. Syd was staring at him in wonder.

"Lil, did you see…"

"Of course I did." Lily huffed. Asher was walking up to…Hugo. Hugo Weasley. Lily's cousin. "Merlin, I better go stop this." She jumped up.

"Hey, Huge-o." she heard Asher sneer. Hugo looked up, his eyes wide.

"What do you want, Asher?" he said carefully. Lily ran up between them.

"Yeah, what do you want, Ash-head?" She glared at him. Asher's gaze flickered to her.

"Lily, you'd better go."

"Why? So you can hex him freely?"

"No—I—wanted to talk to him about...something…and you can't be here for it."

"Ha! Like I'd fall for that!" Lily said. Syd was now standing beside her, looking hesitant.

"Seriously, Lily, you can't be here right now." Asher was looking around. Lily saw his hands fly to his wand.

"Asher, give me your wand."

"No."

"Asher, I swear, I will curse you into oblivion if you don't give me your wand right now."

"I said no, Lily."

"Then I'm just going to have to—" Lily made a leap for his wand. Asher jumped back and pointed it straight at Hugo. "Stop!" Lily screeched. Asher was breathing hard and Sydney was looking terrified.

"You don't understand, Lily. I saw him with—"

"I don't care, Asher! Did you not hear me earlier?"

"I did, but listen—"

"I'm not listening, Asher! Go away!"

"He had a Horcrux book!" Asher yelled. Lily stopped, stunned.

"A what?" She whispered. She turned around to look at Hugo. "Is this true?"

"Why do you care? You act like you're protecting me and all but I can take care of myself, thank you very much! Why don't you just leave me alone?" Hugo spat, then stalked off to the dormitories. Asher looked at Lily triumphantly.

"I don't understand…Didn't Uncle Ron explain about the Battle of Hogwarts?" she murmured.

"Now do you believe me? He's a no good—"

"Asher." Lily's voice was deathly quiet. "Shut up." And with that, Lily stalked up to the dormitories, with a terrified Sydney on her trail.


End file.
